The 'Highly Offended' meme originates from the 1994 cult classic indie film 'Clerks,' directed by Kevin Smith. The scene features the deadpan convenience store employee Dante Hicks, played by Brian O'Halloran, and the apathy-driven video store clerk Randal Graves, played by Jeff Anderson. In this specific moment, a customer reacts with theatrical indignation to the vulgar and unprofessional behavior of the duo, exclaiming 'I'm highly offended!' after witnessing their total lack of retail decorum. The film's low-budget, black-and-white aesthetic adds a layer of raw, grimy authenticity to the comedic outrage displayed. As a meme, this clip is the ultimate reaction tool for situations involving mock pearl-clutching or genuine disbelief at someone's audacity. It is frequently used to parody 'Karen' behavior or to highlight the absurdity of modern outrage culture in a humorous way. People often pair it with captions about minor inconveniences or controversial opinions in niche fanbases to signal ironical shock. Example caption ideas include: 'When the waiter says they don't have free refills,' 'Me reading the group chat after being offline for two hours,' and 'When someone says they actually liked the series finale of a hated show.'